LA FAVORITA – DONIZETTI
Presented on Jun 3, 5, 8 Gaiety Theatre Dublin as part of the Dublin Grand Opera Society’s Spring Season
Viorica Cortez – Leonora
Jon Piso – Fernando
Attilio d’Orazi – Alfonso
Helge Bömches – Baldassarre
Ann Moran – Ines
Raimondo Botteghelli – Gasparo
Napoleone Annovazzi – Conductor
Enrico Frigerio – Producer
There was also a good deal of interest in the production of “La Favorita” and opera-goers were richly rewarded by Viorica Cortez’ performance as Leonora di Gusman, the king’s mistress, and Jon Piso’s Fernando, a novice monk. His singing of ‘Spirto Gentil’ received about the same volume of applause as Cortez’ magnificently sung ‘O Mio Fernando’… Barry Hodkinson’s first experience of the chorus was singing in “La Favorita” and said that Giardina had prepared them well. Being on stage with people like Cortez, Piso and D’Orazi was a splendid experience for any newcomer and the memory has stayed with him to this day. He was studying accountancy at the time and although rehearsing was time-consuming, he believed the whole exercise was worthwhile. He decided to give it a few years at least.
(Extracted from “Love and Music: The Glorious History of the Dublin Grand Opera Society” by Gus Smith, 1998)
Opera in Ireland 